The Playground
by GellsBells
Summary: Prompt Fill: Could you do a fic where Betty swoons over how cute and big brotherly/protective Jughead is with Jellybean?


Betty and Jughead had taken JB to the local park giving Gladys and FP some time to 'talk'. Or as Jughead imagined was actually happening screaming at each other, insults hurling, blame being tossed around like a ball nobody wanted. JB didn't need to be there for that, he had always tried to shield her from it as much as a teenager can shield their younger sister from a marriage breakdown.

He had grabbed JB and Betty's hands pulling them both out of the trailer heading across the road to the local park, a vastly different park to the one that was located on the Northside of Riverdale where he had spent many days in his childhood playing with Betty and Archie.This one was not as shiny or as well kept but it would offer a short reprieve from the family drama and that was all they needed.

Betty and Jughead were sitting on the park bench, his hand in Betty's absent mindedly tracing patterns along the palm of her hand which he was happy to see had no marks today, and hadn't in a while. She was snuggled up against him her head on his shoulder, watching his fingers move along her skin, the calm serenity of their moment in stark contrast to the chaos that he expected was unfolding at his own home.

That was when JB came running up to them tears streaming down her face. Before he knew it he was moving towards her. Betty only a few moments behind him, running to catch up. He scooped JB into his arms, as she continued to sob. He pulled her back, hands solid on her shoulders, looking into her eyes, his concern clear across his face.

"What happened JB?" he asked, pushing her hair back from her face. She gave a loud sniff as she started to speak.

"I was playing on the swings and they said that dad, was a serpent, that he was going to die in a jail and that -" Another sob and loud sniff. "You would too." He pulled her into a tight hug. Resting his chin on top of her head as he whispered to her.

"That's not going to happen Jellybean, I won't let that happen." He assured her. Betty watched on, her heart responding to the affection that he had for his family, much like the affection and loyalty that she had to her own. The young girl nodded into his shoulder before she moved away from his arms, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Now." Jughead stood up from his crouched position straightening the beanie on his head. "Which ones are they JB?" he spoke as he looked out across the playground and Betty could tell that he was trying to keep the anger out of his voice. JB gave a loud sniff before she pointed in the direction of a group of boys around her own age playing on the swings. Jughead gave a confident nod, looking out over to the swings, before turning to face JB again. "Stay here with Betty." She nodded, moving closer to Betty who instinctively clasped her small hand in her own.

Betty reached out to grab his shoulder with her other arm, stopping him for a moment.

"Jug, they are just kids, they don't know any better." He turned to face her, taking in her worry.

"I'm just going to have a chat with them Betts," he said calmly, giving her a smile that she couldn't quite decipher. She stayed with JB as they both watched as Jughead headed over to the group of boys. JB clung to Betty's hand and Betty squeezed it back in response.

They couldn't hear what he was saying from this distance, but he pointed over towards them while the boys began looking nervously at each other before he leant in. Betty could see their demeanor change, as they started to grab at their belongings and run for their bikes that were stashed near the fences. Jughead's eyes not leaving them until they were out of sight.

Betty noticed the smug smile on Jughead's face as he returned to them. She has seen it many times before usually when he had managed to deliver a particularly pointed insult at Reggie Mantle. Betty felt JB let go of her hand as she started to run towards her brother.

"Swings are all yours Jellybean." JB wrapped her arms around his chest as Jughead returned the embrace. Watching the scene in front of her unfold stirred something inside of Betty, the knowledge that Jughead was good with kids was something that she stored away in memory as surprising things she had learnt about Jughead. JB soon let go of him and ran towards the swings.

Jughead approached her a slight swagger in his step and a smirk all over his face. She couldn't hold back, grabbing the lapels of his jacket pulling him towards her, her lips capturing his in a heated kiss. She felt his hands enclosing around her pulling her against his body. She felt him sigh into her mouth as she deepened the kiss her tongue coaxing his to respond in kind. She pulled away from him with a deep intake of breath. A flush creeping up her neck.

"Hey." He breathed out.

"Hey," she replied, a small smile spreading across her lips.

"What was that for?" He continued to hold her close, as Betty breathed in his scent.

"I don't know," She shrugged still feeling slightly giddy. "What did you say to those kids anyway?"

"I told them that we were both serpents and if they ever thought about teasing JB again, they would find out how painful a snake bite could be."

"So when I said to go easy on them because they were kids?" She turned her head to the side, waiting for the truth.

"That was easy, I could have come up with something far, far worse." His voice lowered as he finished his sentence and Betty couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped her lips at his dramatics.

"JB is really lucky to have you, Juggie, you know that don't you," she said cupping his face in his hands noticing his eyes dart to the side, he never was one to take a compliment. Betty had been thankful to see this side of him. It was a side that she so rarely got to see with JB and his mum living so far away. She knew that he missed her and that he wanted to protect her at all costs.

"I hope I can be there for her as she grows up. Even if our parents don't get it together then she will always have me, you know?" Betty simply nodded in agreement, her heart felt like it was thumping inside her chest, the space between them becoming smaller, as she could only admire the boy in front of her committed to his family, despite everything that had happened.

"And that is just one of the many reasons I love you Jughead Jones," she said as she brought her lips to his again.


End file.
